Automatic edge banding apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for adhesively securing a flexible strip of material around the edge of a panel, such as a table top, which may be warped, by rotatably mounting the table top at the end of an arm and biasing the arm and thus the edge of the table top against a contact roller so that the flexible strip, which may be pre-glued, is inserted therebetween.

M. IZEN F'iled Jan. 29, 1970 & WKMH E wN KHZ VZ fl T QNIL T K H. w u mfifl M @M a w AUTOMATIC EDGE BANDING APPARATUS March 14, 1972 3,649,417 AUTOMATIC EDGE BANDING APPARATUS Manuel Izen, 1785 E. Vernon Ave., Los Angeles, Calif., and George Klotzek, Los Angeles, Calif; said Klotzek assignor to said Izen Filed Jan. 29, 1970, Ser. No. 6,826 Int. Cl. B32b 31/20, 31/10 U.S. Cl. 156-552 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for adhesively securing a flexible strip of material around the edge of a panel, such as a table top, which may be warped, by rotatably mounting the table top at the end of an arm and biasing the arm and thus the edge of the table top against a contact roller so that the flexible strip, which may be pre-glued, is inserted therebetween.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART This invention generally relates to an apparatus or machine for applying a strip or band of flexible material to the edge of a panel, wide board, or the like. One application of such device is for applying a pre-glued strip of plastic material to the edge of a table top, the upper surface of which has been covered with the plastic material. Such devices are well known in the art. In such devices, the panel or table top is supported by the free end of an arm which pivots in the horizontal plane and is rotatable with respect to the arm. The arm swings the table edge against a vertically disposed contact roller and the strip is fed between the edge and the roller and is adhesively secured to the edge through the contact between the edge and the roller as the panel is rotated about its general axis.

One problem with the prior art devices is that the table top or panels to which the flexible strip is to be applied are generally warped. When the warped panel is rotated, the edge of the panel in contact with the pressure roller and strip moves vertically with respect to the roller and strip. This vertical movement results in the strip being irregularly secured to the edge so that the strip may expose a portion of the edge. Normally, the strip has a width which is greater than the thickness of the table and is so applied such that flashing or a trim margin extends above and below the upper and lower surfaces of the table top and may be easily trimmed. However, where the strip fails to cover the edge of the table top, the entire operation must be halted and the strip must be removed and another strip applied. This results in an increase in both material and labor costs.

Another problem with the prior art devices relates to securing of the strip on table tops which are non-circular, for example, a rectangular table top with rounded corners. Since the arm is biased so as to yieldingly urge the edge of the table top against the contact roller, the speed of rotation decreases and the bias force increases as the corner is approached and when the maximum radius from the axis of rotation is passed, the speed of rotation increases and Whips by the contact roller with insuflicient contact pressure between the table top edge and the roller. The pre-glued strip is therefore inade quately secured to the table top edge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In light of the above-described problems of the prior art devices, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an edge banding or stripping apparatus in which the panel is drawn into edge contact with a prenited States atent glued strip and roller and rotated as the strip is fed and secured against the edge by pressure contact, the edge being maintained in the same plane as the roller and strip notwithstanding warpage of the panel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an edge banding or stripping apparatus of the abovedescribed type wherein means is provided to control the speed of rotation of non-circular panels to assure proper pressure contact between the panel edge and the contact roller and strip.

Generally, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention there is provided in an apparatus for adhesively securing a flexible strip of material around the edge of a panel (which may be warped) comprising, a frame, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame, rotatable panel support means on the end of the arm, a vertically disposed contact roller supported by the frame generally in the same plane as the panel supported by the arm, means biasing the arm so as to yieldingly urge the panel in contact with the roller and strip, and means for feeding a strip of material between the contact roller and the panel edge, an improvement comprising means for maintaining the panel edge in fixed vertical relation with respect to the contact roller during rotation of the panel so that the flexible strip is secured to the edge with a substantially equal trim margin above and below the panel edge. In the embodiment disclosed, there is also provided means for controlling the speed of rotation of a non-circular panel during rotation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for adhesively securing a flexible strip of material around the edge of a panel;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the plane IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane III- HI of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional view of a portion of the apparatus showing its operation in relation of a warped panel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for adhesively securing a flexible strip of material around the edge of a panel. Generally, the apparatus comprises a frame 20, an arm 25 pivotally mounted on the frame, rotatable panel support means 30 on the end of the arm, a vertically disposed contact roller 35 rotatably supported by the frame 20, means 45 biasing the arm so as to urge the panel P toward the roller 35, means 50 for feeding a strip of material 5 between the contact roller and the panel edge, and means 55 for maintaining the panel edge in fixed vertical relation with respect to the contact roller during rotation of the panel P.

With reference to FIG. 1, the frame 20 of any desired configuration is supported on a floor and may house the means 45 for biasing the arm 25 so as to urge the panel P toward the contact roller 35. The housing 20 may also enclose the necessary drive means for contact roller 35 and associated equipment and support a control panel (not shown). The arm 25 has a radius generally greater than the radius of the panels for which the apparatus is used. At the end of arm 25 there is provided an upstanding shaft 26 which supports the rotatable panel support means 30. As is well known in the art, such panel support means may include a base 31 and a plurality of vacuum suction cups 32 suitably connected through fluid lines to a source of vacuum pressure preferably housed within housing 20. The panel P is releasably held by the suction devices 32 on the rotatable base 31 which may be operated through a suitable foot pedal which controls the vacuum pressure to the vacuum cups. As seen in FIG. 1, the panel P is generally disposed in the plane of the contact roller 35.

The contact roller 35 is rotatably mounted on a base 36 secured to the frame and includes a cylindrical portion 37, a. lower conically shaped guide member 38, an upper cylindrical section 39 having a conically shaped guide portion 40, and a securing nut 41. The contact roller is driven through a conventional electric motor and gear train (not shown).

Conventional means is provided for feeding a strip of material S between the contact roller 35 and the panel edge. Such means includes a source of glue, a jig for bolding a plurality of strips to be fed, means for selectively feeding the strips towards the roller and edge of the panels and means for guiding the strip around the cylindrical portion 37 of the roller, as is Well known in the art. Suitable temperature control may be provided for the glue and there is provided means for applying the liquid glue to the side of the strip to be adhered to the panel edge.

The above generally described apparatus is well known in the art and particular attention will now be directed to the improvement of the present invention. Such improvement includes means for maintaining the panel P edge in a constant vertical relation with respect to the contact roller 35 during rotation of the panel. Such means, in the exemplary embodiment, comprises a support wheel 56 mounted on a shaft 57 supported by the frame 20 and positioned below the panel adjacent the edge and in close proximity to the contact roller 35. The wheel 56 has a diameter and is so positioned such that the upper edge lies in a horizontal plane which intersects the cylindrical portion 37 of contact roller 35. More specifically, such plane is positioned above the plane of the lower edge of the flexible strip S which is being fed for securement to the panel edge. Since the edge portion of the panel rests upon the upper surface of wheel 56, the lower surface is maintained above the lower edge of the flexible strip S so that a bottom trim margin will result when the strip is secured to the panel edge.

The panel edge is further maintained in fixed vertical relation with respect to the contact roller and strip S by a pressure wheel 58. Pressure wheel 58 is mounted on an axle 59 carried at the lower end of a shaft 60 which is slidably mounted in a frame 61. Frame 61 has an inverted-L shape and is secured to the frame at its lower end. At its fre end the frame supports a cylinder 62 carrying a piston 63 to which the shaft 60 is attached. Fluid pressure lines 64 are connected to the cylinder '62. for moving piston 63 and applying a bias or downward force thereto and are connected at their other ends to a high pressure source of fluid (not shown) with suitable control means as is well known in the art. The shaft 60 is vertically adjustable through the threaded collar and housing as at 65.

As seen best in FIG. 3, pressure wheel 58 is disposed generally above support wheel 56 but is preferably nearer the edge of the panel at the point where the strip is secured to the edge and is thus generally between the wheel 56 and the contact surface of the cylindrical portion 37 of contact roller 35.

In the exemplary embodiment, the Wheel 56 may be driven so as to have the same tangential speed as the surface of the cylindrical portion 37 of contact roller 35. Since the panel P is urged through the pressure wheel 58 into forcible engagement with the wheel 56, the wheel 56 will drive the panel P to rotate about its axis at a constant speed.

It will now be seen that the improvement of the present invention will perform the objects as set forth above. With reference to FIG. 4, it will be seen that a panel P is warped so that if rotated in the absence of means 55 about its axis as the strip S is applied to the edge of the panel, a portion of the panel edge would normally pass below the lower edge of the strip S and the edge would be exposed. However, employing the improvement of the present invention, it will be seen from FIG. 4 that warpage of the panel and thus a variation in height (with respect to a horizontal reference plane) of the edge of the panel will not affect the position of adherence of the strip S to the edge of the panel since the edge of the panel adjacent the point of application of the strip will be maintained at a constant height and a substantially equal trim margin of strip will extend above and below the panel edge.

Moreover, the improvement in the exemplary embodiment will also prevent whipping of the rounded edge of a rectangular table which would otherwise occur when the point of maximum radius from the axis of rotation of the panel is reached such as the point shown in FIG. 3. Immediately following the position of the panel as shown in FIG. 3, in the absence of wheel 56, the panel would rotate rapidly since the urging of the arm 25 which increased as the corner was approached would momentarily impart considerable speed to the panel. A loss of contact pressure between the roller cylindrical portion 37 and the edge of the panel would occur such that the strip would not be properly adhered to the panel edge. With the driven wheel 56 of the improvement, however, the whipping will be minimized if not entirely eliminated since the wheel 56 will assist in driving the panel past the point of attachment at a relatively constant speed.

Of course, other modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the abovedescribed exemplary embodiment of the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim:

1. In an apparatus for adhesively securing a flexible strip of material around the edge of a panel which may be warped, the strip having a height greater than the height of the panel edge, comprising a frame, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame, rotatable panel support means on the end of the arm, a vertically disposed contact roller supported by the frame generally in the 'same plane as a panel supported by the arm, means biasing the arm so as to urge the panel toward the roller, and means for feeding a strip of material between the contact roller and the panel edge, the improvement comprising means for maintaining the panel edge in fixed vertical relation with respect to the contact roller during rotation of the panel so that the flexible strip is secured to the edge with a substantially equal trim margin above and below the panel edge.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining the panel edge in fixed vertical relation with respect to the contact roller comprises a wheel supported by the frame adjacent the contact roller and positioned below the panel adjacent the edge and a pressure wheel positioned above the first-mentioned wheel and the panel forcing the panel edge to maintain a fixed vertical relation with respect to the contact roller.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said pressure wheel is vertically adjustable to accommodate panels of different thicknesses.

4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said pressure wheel is carried by a slidably mounted shaft and is biased into pressure contact with said panel upper surface.

5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said shaft is carried by a piston slidably mounted in a cylinder, including a source of high pressure fluid supplied to said cylinder and means for regulating the fluid pressure supplied.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said pressure roller is nearer the edge of said panel than said firstrnentioned wheel.

of the table top toward said roller, and means feeding 10 individual pre-glued strips between the roller and the table top edge so that the lower edge of the strip is spaced upwardly from the lower edge of the contact roller and below the bottom surface of the table top, the strip having a width at least equal to the thickness of the table top, 1

the improvement comprising, a support wheel carried by the frame and positioned below the table top adjacent the edge at the point where the strip is secured to the edge, and a pressure wheel disposed above and in contact with the table top upper surface to maintain the edge of the 20 table top between the upper and lower edges of the vertical strip during rotation.

8. In an apparatus for adhesively securing a flexible strip of material around the edge of a panel which may be warped, the strip having a height greater than the 25 height of the panel edge, comprising a frame, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame, rotatable panel support means on the end of the arm, a vertically disposed contact roller supported by the frame generally in the same plane as a panel supported by the arm, means biasing the 30 arm so as to urge the panel toward the roller, and means for feeding a strip of material between the contact roller and the panel edge, the improvement comprising means for maintaining the panel edge in fixed vertical relation with respect to the contact roller during rotation of the panel so that the flexible strip is secured to the edge with a substantially equal trim margin above and below the panel edge, said means including a wheel supported by the frame adjacent the contact roller and positioned below the panel adjacent the edge and a pressure Wheel positioned above the first-mentioned wheel and the panel for forcing the panel edge to maintain a fixed vertical relation with respect to the contact roller, said first-mentioned wheel being driven to assist the contact roller in rotating the panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,468,741 9/1969 Miller et a1. 156446 3,076,493 2/1963 Berg 156478 X 3,135,644 6/1964 Coplen et a1 156202 X 3,296,056 1/1967 Bechtold 156-212 X 3,141,806 7/1964 Reinman 156-447 X BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner J. M. HANLEY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

